Harry Matthews

Pronouns: He/him
  • Doctoral Researcher
Harry Matthews is doctoral researcher in English at the University of Loughborough. He grew up in rural Staffordshire near Norbury Manor, where Richard Barnfield was born. His thesis looks at Richard Barnfield’s poetry.
 
The research concerns areas of Early Modern pastoral and sonnet (especially 1590s England), pastoral representations of homoeroticism in Richard Barnfield's poetry, Classical bucolic literature, and the way it was represented in English as well as French and Italian poetry of sixteenth century, and the conceptual change the homoerotic was subjected to in the course of the Renaissance. 
 
Harry holds a degree from the University of Reading and Liverpool John Moore's University. He has prior study in Richard Barnfield's 'The Affectionate Shepherd' (1594) and the Classical and Elizabethan pastoral.

'Otherwise than in truth I meant': The Passions of Richard Barnfield

PGR Supervisors: Dr Joan Fitzpatrick

At Loughborough University, Harry seeks to continue building his research on Richard Barnfield. 
In his research Harry takes a critical angle on Richard Barnfield to appreciate his poetry in terms of passions, affections, desire and sexuality. Questions revolve around Barnfield's marginality and his poetry as dissent and transgression.
 
The focus is mostly targeted Barnfield's psychological portrait of 'masculine love' & homosexual desire. This includes an analysis of the space within the social and cultural limits of Barnfield's era. The purpose is to contribute rigorous scholarship to an often ignored yet influential poet. 
 

Harry has delivered a well received paper at:  

“LIVING FAME NO FORTUNE CAN CONFOUND”: RICHARD BARNFIELD’S LEGACY – SAPIENZA UNIVERSITY OF ROME, 9-10 FEBRUARY 2023.

“Otherwise than (in truth) I meant: homoeroticism in richard barnfield’s poetry”.